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RAIN weary residents remain cautious despite suggestions the ‘battered and bruised’ Douglas Shire could escape the worst of the predicted heavy rains this Easter.

An early outlook yesterday had the Port Douglas region under threat of more monsoon rain as a low-pressure system from ex-cyclone Iris turned north-west.

Queensland Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Diana Eadie painted a more positive picture today, saying the heaviest rain would likely fall further south.

But in the wake of Sunday and Monday’s deluge, which caused landslides and flooding from the Captain Cook Highway to the Daintree, affected locals were taking a preemptive approach.

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The low, expected to remain well offshore, is now tracking ‘anywhere from Ingham all the way down to Fraser Coast’, according to BOM.

“At this stage for the Douglas area I’d say, whilst we are certainly going to see an increase in shower and storm activity particularly from Sunday onwards, we’re not expecting heavy falls in the Douglas area,” Eadie told Newsport.

“It does look like the activity is going to be more concentrated around the central coast, so south of Townsville essentially into the Whitsundays, Mackay area.

“Douglas Shire itself looks like it’s not at risk of heavy falls at this stage, however given the uncertainty with the movement of the low it’s certainly something to keep an eye on. I'd expect Monday and Tuesday to be the peak in terms of rainfall."

Recovery efforts in Port Douglas have been in place all week after more than 600mm of rain washed away parts of Flagstaff Hill and Murphy Street.

The Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail remains closed, while rock and concrete has been placed at the toe of slips on Murphy - which runs parallel to Macrossan Street – to help minimise further slides in the event of another heavy downpour. 

Mayor Julia Leu said Council staff had put in ‘a colossal effort’ and shown tremendous commitment to residents in the aftermath of last weekend's event.

“Douglas Shire is battered and bruised but open for business,” she said today.

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BOM are continuing to monitor conditions but said early signs pointed to the low approaching the Whitsunday’s and Mackay.

“Somewhere along that stretch of coast we are certainly going to see some heightened rainfall activity, we just can’t quite pinpoint the exact location at this stage,” Eadie said.

“Essentially it is all dependent on the movement from ex-tropical cyclone Iris. Showers and storms likely increasing from Sunday onwards, so id expect the peak of the rainfall to be Monday and Tuesday.”

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